Ah .... Winter is coming!

I am one of those sick individuals who LOVE cold weather! Yes - I am blessed with a warm home & food; good winter clothes & lots of wool. I DO count my many blessings and thank the Good Lord for them all.

Seriously - this time of cold & dark - is my most favorite and most productive. I am an admitted 'homebody'. I don't feel the need to travel - after all, I have everything that I want/need *right here!*

That being said ... I planted two amaryllis the day before Thanksgiving. One is called "Alfresco" -the other, "Grand Diva." Mail order is wonderful as I purchased these babies from White Flower Farm - these bulbs had a circumference of (approx) 11"!


Stay tuned ... hopefully, we which watch them grow together!

Now, getting back to the homebody thing ... as yesterday was Sunday - it was spent watching football & spinning wool. I am currently spinning shetland and my goal is to have the whole bag spun *this WEEK!* Again, stay tuned .... I am using the JOYness as Moonshine still likes to 'get involved' with whatever I do. Suffice to say ... I think she finds my life pretty boring!



All good ... I just might be able to spin that big bag o'wool after all! WhEEE!

Icelandic Moments ...

I have completed 27 woven squares for a blanket to which, if all goes according to plan - will be donated to Wool-Aid for "Afghans 4 Afghans." Only 15 more squares to do and then it will be time to sew this baby up!

I go back & forth: should I wait until all squares are finished?? OR - due to the fact that I want to see what this "Krazy Square Blanket" will look like - should I start to sew it now???

As of this posting - I will go with the former but I reserve the right to change my mind.

Since I am trying to complete this project - should I mention that 2 bags of processed shetland wool walked through my door this Sunday? I mean, seriously, how cool is that? Baby, it is cold outside and it is time to spin & knit (& weave!)!

Winter is settling in across New England. Soon the snow flakes will dance & bells will jingle. I love this time of year!!! I hope you do too.

"Crispin", an icelandic sheepie, has some really fabulous wool! Warm, handspun YARN anyone?? It is time for YOU to knit TOO!

HaPpY 4th Birthday!

Part of my creative power goes to the inspiration that all my dogs have provided me. I was never blessed with a four legged friend in childhood. Looking back, I don't think that my parents were very wise in denying me the 'gift of a dog.'

And, I truly believe, dogs are Gifts.

They teach me daily and remind me constantly that I am a work in progress. I need more patience. More exercise. More inclination to enjoy moments and less desire to worry about 'stuff'. (Seriously = dogs don't worry!)

They have taught me life is good as long as my 'peeps' are around. A good tummy rub can be equated to the finest massage and who needs an expensive car when ANY car ride is an adventure. Yes ... dogs are wise!

Today, my big boy turns 4! While we don't really know his true birthday - we always felt that 11/11 would be a cool date. Jaeger came to us less than 2 years ago ... what little we know - he was surrendered because he got 'to big'. He is a gentle giant and I am thankful that his previous owners were wise enough to bring him to a local shelter to give him a second chance.

HaPpY Birthday Baby-boy! .... we LOVE you, Jaeger!

It's November!

WOW - I am ashamed to admit that I have not posted in months. Just when I thought that "Life" was slowing down - it didn't. Come to find out that once again, I am my own worst enemy when it comes to Demands & Stress. I am working on it - Demands & Stress are death to the Creative Muse. Time to kill the demonic twins and place the Muse back in front of the easel (or spinning wheel or loom or knitting needles!)

Actually, 'killing' them isn't the proper thing for a lady to do: it is time to tame them and their nasty family members (---> enter procrastination & self-pity / clutter & disorganization!) In order to tame we must nourish the Muse.

Like a garden, the Muse needs constant cultivation & nourishment. Self destruction is the quickest way to implode Her.

Of course clutter and disorganization doesn't make The Knotty Sheep a happy little sheepie. As we prepare to move from one location to another, boxes and bags around the house make me a little nutty. In my effort to reduce - I started weaving squares from odd-ball yarn. I am double stranding for warmth as it is to become a blanket. Both handspun & commercial product is being used. Yes - totally one of a kind! Should be interesting to watch it grow.



Of course, I haven't thought how best to sew them together .... THAT, my friends is for another post!

Feels GREAT to be back!

Drinking Moonshine ...

Ah - Drinking Moonshine! One would think *THAT* is what I have been doing since February when I last posted!

Trust me, dear readers - that is, *if* I have any readers at all at this point, I promise that the last several months I have not been indulging in excess libations!

Life is a journey of twists & turns. That we all know - I have just been more twisted of late. No spinning, no knitting. While there have been sad good-byes over these past weeks - there have also been wonderful new beginnings!

Just as Spring turned into Summer - my creativity began flowing once again. I do not blame the Muse for running away ... she indeed had WAY to MUCH *Moonshine*!

This is Jaeger's new sister. We adopted her at the end of February (see? notice the timing of the last post!) Moonshine is now 9 months old - she is adorable and JoyFULL and ALL puppy. She is also deaf. Jaeger loves her & she torments him - Life is good!

So - I am officially back. Look for knitting, spinning & drawing news ... I plan on doing it all - as well as read more books& DO more fun stuff!!

Feels GREAT to be back!

A NEW Year!

WOW!!

In all honesty, I can not believe that I haven't posted in months. Life certainly throws knuckle balls and it is all a matter of how you *see* said pitch that moves you forward to first base, or clocks you one in the head!

For me, my bases have been loaded, but I have been playing with a HUGE headache!

Time to move on!! Time to Create!!

As of the end of this month, I will be a FULL-TIME ARTIST!! I am over joyed at the prospect of creating daily and playing with Jaeger. DH has been awesome and supports me in this decision (which in this economy, I did not take lightly.) Do look for new yarns & battz and dare I say paintings at The Knotty Sheep.

Check out these freshly spun & washed Icelandic skeins from a sheepie named Crispin!

I think they are awesome and perfect for gift giving!

Knitting you ask?? Yes.... I have completed a project or two. These Drops mittens being my latest.

And Jaeger? He is doing fine & is a complete JOY! He loves the snow, but does tire of the cold. I think he is so handsome & adorable in his winter coat!

So ... I am back. It feels great to be here too. I have missed creating. I have learned that creating is so important to who I AM. Heck, if "Mama ain't happy, NO ONE is happy!" AMEN ....

Time to play BALL ... but, more importantly, it is TIME TO HAVE A BALL!

WhEEEEEEE!